Choices and Consequences

Our Daily Bread Podcast | Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread Ministries

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6 • 955 Ratings

🗓️ 6 July 2025

⏱️ 4 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1890, amateur ornithologist Eugene Schieffelin decided to release sixty European starlings into New York City’s Central Park. While there were likely several introductions of the species, Schieffelin’s released starlings resulted in the first successful documented nesting. Now there are roughly eighty-five million of the birds flapping across the continent. Unfortunately, starlings are invasive, pushing out native bird populations, spreading disease to cattle, and causing an estimated $800 million annually in damage. Schieffelin couldn’t have imagined the damage his choice would cause.

Choices can have massive consequences. Though warned, Adam and Eve couldn’t have envisioned the disastrous ramifications of their choice on all creation. God had told them they were “free to eat from any tree in the garden” (Genesis 2:16), save one, the tree in “the middle of the garden” (3:3). But deceived by that wily serpent, “[Eve] took some and ate it” (v. 6). Then Adam followed, also choosing to eat the fruit God forbade. So much destruction, heartbreak, and ruin because of one choice.

Every time we ignore God’s wisdom and choose another path, we invite calamity. It may seem that our choice is insignificant or only affects us; however, our narrow understanding or fleeting desires can easily lead us into a world of trouble. Choosing God’s way, though, leads us to life and flourishing.

Transcript

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0:00.0	When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food, she took some and ate it.
0:07.3	Genesis 3, verse 6.
0:12.0	Welcome to this daily encouragement from our daily bread.
0:16.3	Choices and consequences was written and read by Wyn Collier.
0:22.9	Genesis chapter 3, verses 1 to 6.
0:27.2	Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made.
0:32.8	He said to the woman,
0:34.4	Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden? The woman said to the woman, did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?
0:40.2	The woman said to the serpent,
0:42.3	We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say,
0:47.3	you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden,
0:51.0	and you must not touch it, or you will die.
0:54.6	You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman, for God knows that when you eat
1:00.4	from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
1:07.0	When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye
1:12.1	and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.
1:18.2	She also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate it.
1:25.1	Choices and consequences
1:27.1	In 1890, amateur ornithologist Eugene Schifflin decided to release 60 European starlings into New York City's Central Park.
1:40.2	While there were likely several introductions of the species, Schiflans released starlings resulted in the first successful documented nesting.
1:49.7	Now, there are roughly 85 million of the birds flapping across the continent.
1:57.4	Unfortunately, starlings are invasive.
	...

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